Jake Auchincloss

Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) is scheduled to speak at a State of Israel’s 76th Independence Day event hosted by the Consulate General of Israel to New England.

While the growth of anti-Israel sentiment in politics is concerning, Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) is part of a new crop of young Democrats who believe that support for Israel has and will remain essential to the Democratic Party’s platform.

“Anti-BDS legislation is about commercial activities, not about people’s ability to speak,” says the 33-year-old. “People are free to criticize Israel; that is a protected right. But organized boycotting and divestment with the support of state, local or federal government is not acceptable.”

“I was raised with the conviction that Jews everywhere must support one another and the State of Israel in order to secure our collective well-being,” he says.

With a wide-open field of nine candidates to succeed Democrat Rep. Joe Kennedy, some fear that a split of the pro-Israel/Jewish vote could let a pro-BDS candidate enter Congress.